Drag chute packing device



Dec. 22,

Filed Oct. 9, 1963 DRAG 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 40\ u' -lzs 3o ...I ls\`\. if@o I0 `i1 HG. 2 `H INVENTOR 54 il C JERRY REYNOLDS lad 4 56 Y ATTORNEY'.

Dec. 22, 1964 J. REYNOLDS 3,162,001

DRAG CHUTE PACKING DEVICE l Filed oct. 9, 196:5 2 Sheets-sheet 2 v E'l-L WH 1 PO u' E INVENTOR JERRY REYNOLDS ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Otice 3,162,001 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 3,162,081DRAG CHUTE PACKING DEVICE Jerry Reynoids, 1721 S. 16th St., Las `Vegas,Nev. Filed Oct. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 314,970 2 Claims. (Ci. 53-124) Thisinvention relates to a packing device for drag chutes employed as speedreducing means during landing of certain types of aircraft.

After each deployment of an aircraft braking or drag chute, it isnecessary to force the large canopy of the chute along with the rigginglines and webbing risers into a generally flexible pack or containerwhich pack or container is then inserted in a compartment of theaircraft from which the drag chute is deployed by the aircraft operatorupon landing.

Due to space requirement, it is necessary to force the canopy, rigginglines and webbing risers into a relatively small container and thecoarse nature of the fabric of conventional nylon drag chutes hascreated substantial packing problems. Presently it requires two skilledmen about forty minutes to pack each drag chute.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide arelatively inexpensive drag chute packing device which materiallyreduces the packing time of a drag chute.

It is a further object to provide a packing device which materiallyreduces the amount of contact between a jet fuel contaminated chute anda packers hands.

Another object is to provide a drag chute packing device which insuresuniform packages thereby substantially Y reducing chute failures due tobulkiness and jamming of the package in the aircraft container.

A further object is to provide such a device including means for holdingthe chute pack open while storing the canopy, rigging lines and thelike.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention areprovided by a drag chute packing device comprising a rigid containeradapted to snugly receive a exible drag chute pack, the container havingan open top, and closed side wall and bottom Wall and conforming inconfiguration to the configuration of the flexible drag chute pack, anextended planar surface member surrounding the plane of the open top ofthe container, a lever arm, means mounting the lever arm to the planarsurface member for pivotal movement over the open top of the container,a presser foot pivotally mounted to the lever arm at a posi-tionintermediate the length of the lever arm and at a position to betelescopically received within the container in one position of thelever arm, stop means cooperating with the lever arm and the presserfoot, and means for releasably securing the closure flap of the dragchute pack in an extended open position to the extended surface memberwhen the side walls and bottom o-f the pack are received within thecontainer.

The invention will be more particularly described with v reference tothe illustrated embodiment of the invention wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a drag chute packing device constructedin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view through the device illustrated inFIG. l showing the lever arm and presser foot in various positions;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to that illustrated in FIG. l witha drag chute exible pack in chute packing position; and

FIG. 4 is a View similar to that illustrated in FIG. 3 with a portion ofthe canopy and webbing risers compressed into the flexible chute pack.

Referring to the drawings, generally designates the improved drag chutepacking device. The device includes a container 12 having a side wall14, a solid bottom Wall 16, and an open top 18. The container 12 whichis constructed of rigid material such as sheet metal has a length andcross sectional configuration to snugly receive, when filled, a flexible`and generally cloth parachute pack generally designated 20 asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings. Further, the container 12is of such size and configuration that it resembles the recess in theaircraft into which the packed chute is to be received.

Extending about the open top of the container 12 is an extended surfaceplanar member or counter top 22. The counter top 22 has its top planesurface substantially in the plane of the open top of the container 12.The assembly also includes a lever arm generally designated 24. One end26 of the lever arm is pivotally mounted to a lever arm mounting device28 on a pivot pin 30. The pivot pin mounting means includes a platemember 32 and a swivel pin element 34 having a locking pin 36 at thelower end thereof while at the upper end, the swivel pin is bifurcatedto receive end 36 of the lever arm or member 24. The lever arm mountingmember 28 is received and mounted on the top planar surface of thecounter top 22 so that the pivotal arc of the lever arm 24 is in a planepassing through the center of the container 12. Furthermore, the leverarm 24 may also be pivoted about the axis of swivel pin 34 to swing thelever arm clear of the chute packing zone.

The opposite end 38 of the lever arm 24 comprises a hand-grippingportion of the arm while intermediate the two ends 26 and 38 of thelever arm is pivotally mounted a presser foot element generallydesignated 40. The presser foot element 40 includes a flat base portion42 having an extended surface less than the area of the open top 18 ofthe container 12 whereby the presser foot Will freely telescope withinthe container and provide room for unpacked portions of the drag chute,its shrouds and rigging lines as illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

The presser foot assembly 40 also includes a pair of upstanding arms 44which receive and are pivotally mounted to the lever arm on a pivot pin46. The length of the arms 44 is such that the presser foot assembly isgenerally freely pivotable on the lever arm. However, pivoting of thepresser foot member 40 is restricted by a stop pin 48 secured to thelever arm 24. The position of the stop pin 4S is such that with thelever arm 24 substantially in the position illustrated in full lines inFIG. 2, the presser foot is in a vertical position with the fiat base 42lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the extended surface countertop 22.

The assembly also includes means generally designated 50 adjacent theforward end of the extended surface counter member 22 and meansgenerally designated 52 adjacent the rearward edge of the counter memberfor releasably securing the front and rear closure flaps of the chutepack 20. The front releasable securing means consists of a pair ofstraps 54 and 54', each of which is provided With a separable fastenerpair S6, 58 and 56', 58. The extended ends of the straps 54 and 54' passthrough openings 60 and 60 in the front flap 62 of the pack 20 andmaintain the flap open and prevent the pack from being forced into thecontainer 12 upon packing of the drag chuteand its rigging lines andwebbing risers.

Similarly, loops 64 and 64' are releasably secured about the rearreleasable securing means 52 which consists, in the illustrated form ofthe invention, of pins 68 and 68 secured in the plate member 32 of thepivotal mounting member 28 for the lever arm 24, whereby the back iiap70 is likewise prevented from being folded into the container 12 uponactuation of the device.

In operation of the invention, the chute pack 20 is positioned withinthe container 12 and the front 62 and the rear 70 flaps of the pack arereleasably secured to their respective. releasabley securing means.riggingA lines and webbing risers are then arranged in position upon thecounter top 22 and sections thereof are folded upon themselves Withinthe pack and compressed tightly Within the. pack by reciprocating actionof the lever arm 24 which forces the presser foot 42 into the containeras. each of the required folds are made in the canopy and itsvconnectedlines.

I claim: f

1'. A, drag chute packing device comprising a rigid container adapted tosnugly receive a flexible drag chute pack, said container having an opentop and closed side and bottom Walls and conforming in configuration tothe desired configuration of the ilexible drag chute pack, an extendedplanar surface member surrounding the plane of the open top of saidcontainer, a lever arm, means mounting said lever arm to the planarsurface member for pivotal-` movement over the open top of thecontainer, a presser foot pivotally mounted tosaid lever arm at aposition intermediate the length of the arm and at a posi- The chute,its f tion to be telescopically received within the container at oneposition of the lever arm, stop means cooperating with the lever arm andthe presser foot, and means for releasably securing the closure aps ofthe drag chute pack in an extended open position to the extended surfacemember when the side walls and the bottom of the pack are receivedWit-hin the container.

2. The invention defined in claim l wherein said lever arm isalsopivotaliy mounted for rotation in a plane normal to the plane ofpivotal movement of the presser foot whereby tire lever arm and presserfoot may be rotated to a position remote from the said container.

' References @ted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,3315 89 Fremeau Nov. 30, 1943 2,357,828 Hurt Sept. 12, 1944 2,452,664Selsrneyer Nov. 2, 1948

1. A DRAG CHUTE PACKING DEVICE COMPRISING A RIGID CONTAINER ADAPTED TOSNUGLY RECEIVE A FLEXIBLE DRAG CHUTE PACK, SAID CONTAINER HAVING AN OPENTOP AND CLOSED SIDE AND BOTTOM WALLS AND CONFORMING IN CONFIGURATION TOTHE DESIRED CONFIGURATION OF THE FLEXIBLE DRAG CHUTE PACK, AN EXTENDEDPLANAR SURFACE MEMBER SURROUNDING THE PLANE OF THE OPEN TOP OF SAIDCONTAINER, A LEVER ARM, MEANS MOUNTING SAID LEVER ARM TO THE PLANARSURFACE MEMBER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OVER THE OPEN TOP OF THE CONTAINER,A PRESSER FOOT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO SAID LEVER ARM AT A POSITIONINTERMEDIATE THE LENGTH OF THE ARM AND AT A POSITION TO BETELESCOPICALLY RECEIVED WITHIN THE CONTAINER AT ONE POSITION OF THELEVER ARM, STOP MEANS COOPERATING WITH THE LEVER ARM AND THE PRESSERFOOT, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE CLOSURE FLAPS OF THE DRAGCHUTE PACK IN AN